MARTIN LLOYD

A GAME FOR CHILDREN WHO LOVE ADVENTURES

A game for children who love adventures.
For Maria, Lisa and Ruben. The best adventure of all.
Contents
Amazing Tales
Why tell Amazing Tales? 3
Amazing tales in one page 4
Amazing settings 6
Amazing heroes 8
Creating a hero 10
Telling an amazing tale 12
Drama and dice 16
Tips and Tricks
Tips and tricks: Amazing magic 19
Tips and tricks: Thrilling fights 22
Tips and tricks: Gaming with kids 26
Amazing Settings
Introducing the settings 29
Tales from the Deep Dark Wood 31
Tales from Magical Kingdoms Long Ago 43
Adventures on the Pirate Seas 59
Adventures Among the Stars 69
Story Sheet

Afterword
Why tell Amazing Tales?
This book describes a game. A
game designed to be played by an
adult and one or two children. A
game where, instead of someone
winning and someone losing,
all players get the reward of a
shared experience and a unique
story. It’s been three years since I
played the first game of Amazing
Tales with my four-year-old
daughter. Since then I’ve learned
that:
ÕÕMaking up stories together
creates shared memories that
are unique and will last.
ÕÕThis is a game that’s fun and
challenging for both adult and
child. Both of you will get to
give your brains a workout
and flex your creative muscles.
ÕÕThis is a game that stresses
playing together. If you play
with more than one child at a
time, they’ll learn about team-
work and cooperation.
ÕÕPlaying Amazing Tales is a lot
of fun.
If you’re thinking that this book
looks a little on the large side
for a four-year-old, don’t worry,
they don’t need to read it. The
game’s rules fit on a single
page – the next page, in fact.
The rest of the book is full of
advice, suggestions, settings and
pictures.
You can make up Amazing Tales
set anywhere, and the characters
can be anything you like. But
to get things started, the book
includes four settings where
Amazing Tales could happen.
They are...
ÕÕThe Deep Dark Forest
ÕÕMagical Kingdoms
ÕÕThe Pirate Seas
ÕÕAdventures Among the Stars
Amazing Tales has been kept as
simple as possible so it can be as
flexible as possible. My son likes
to make up Amazing Tales about
a super-stealthy four-armed
robot tyrannosaurus called King
Tyrannosneak. There’s nothing
in the rules about making up
robot dinosaur characters, but
there’s nothing in the rules
stopping you either.
So give it a go.
Amazing Tales ~ 3
Amazing tales in one page
You’re going to make up a story
with your child. It will take
between half an hour and an
hour, and neither of you knows
how it’s going to end. At times
you’ll roll dice to see what
happens next, and it’s going to
be amazing. Ready?
Here’s how it works, in five
steps...
1. Decide what kind of story it’s
going to be. An adventure in
space, a voyage on the wild
blue yonder, a quest in days
long gone by, or an adventure
in a deep dark wood? All these
stories are possible. If you
need help, there are ideas for
different settings in the last
section of this book.
2. Help your child make up a
hero to play. The hero can be
anything and anyone they
want. A brilliant scientist
with a robot sidekick, a
magician who lives in a
castle in the clouds, a fairy
who rides a lizard. Let your
child’s imagination run wild.
Make a list of four things the
hero is good at, and assign a
different-sized dice to each
one.
4 ~ Amazing Tales
3. Start telling the story, perhaps
using one of the story seeds
in this guide. As soon as
something happens, ask
your child ‘What do you do?’
Incorporate their answer into
whatever happens next.
4. If your child wants their hero
to do something that might
not work, such as climbing a
mountain, casting a spell on a
dragon, or flying a spaceship
through an asteroid field, look
at their skills. Pick whichever
seems most relevant, and ask
them to roll the appropriate
dice:
5. If they get a three or more,
they succeed! Ask them to
describe what happens. Then
continue the story until the
next moment you can ask
‘What do you do?’
6. If they get a one or a two, they
fail, and things get worse!
Describe how things get worse
and ask them ‘What do you
do?’
7. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until the
story ends.
That’s it. For more ideas and
suggestions on each of these
steps, read on!
Amazing settings
“What kind of thing will our story be
about?”
Talk to your child and let them
pick the kind of story they want
to make up. It could be a story
about magic and monsters long
ago, an adventure in space, or
a voyage on the pirate sea, or
anything else.
The second half of this book
includes four settings ready to
go. But making up your own
setting is easy.
Ask your child what kind of
things they’d like to see in
the story. If they want a space
story, does that mean zapping
aliens and flying space battles?
Or exploring new worlds and
making friends with new
creatures? Let your child use
anything they like as a point of
reference: favourite TV shows,
places you’ve been on holiday,
artwork they like, toys they have,
or things they remember from
bedtime stories. And of course
show them the pictures in this
book.
It’s quite likely that your child
6 ~ Amazing Tales
will pick some things that don’t
normally go together. Knights in
armour with superheroes, fairies
and rocket ships, dinosaurs and
talking rabbits. Your job is not
to say no to this stuff, your job
is to make it work: and the way
to do that is to ask questions.
Questions like...
“Are the dinosaurs in modern times,
or the rabbits in dinosaur times?”
“Are there lots of dinosaurs or just a
few?”
“Do the rabbits talk to the
dinosaurs?”
“Are the dinosaurs the rabbit-eating
kind?”
Indeed it’s worth asking
supportive questions about
anything your child suggests,
because they probably aren’t
quite thinking about things the
way you are. It’s always good to
explore an idea a little bit.
As your child makes suggestions,
throw in thoughts of your
own, building on their ideas. I
often draw a picture, sketching
some of the key things in the
world. Later on, this becomes
a reference for making things
up: when something needs to
happen, I can just use something
I drew on the paper. However
you record these ideas, it’s good
to capture them somehow. It’s
a handy reference for you – and
evidence for your child that their
ideas are being used.
Keep asking questions until you
and your child are comfortable
with the idea. If an idea is really
not working for either of you –
drop it.
At the end of this process you
should have a place in which to
put your story. Now you need a
hero.
Amazing Tales ~ 7
Amazing heroes
Heroes need a name, a
description and some skills.
Come up with those three things,
and you’re ready to go.
Name
“What would you like your hero to
be called?”
Your child’s hero can be called
anything they like, but I wouldn’t
suggest letting your child use
their own name. Heroes might
get attacked by monsters, have
spells cast on them by witches,
be blown out of airlocks, or be
made to walk the plank. Even
though they’ll always survive, it’s
important your child remembers
that it’s just a story. Picking a
different name for the hero helps
with that.
Appearance
“And what do they look like?”
Ask your child to describe their
hero, ask them what they wear,
whether they’re tall or short,
what kind of hair they have.
Listen carefully to the answers,
as you might want to reference
8 ~ Amazing Tales
their appearance later in the
story. My children often like
their heroes to carry things;
often a picnic basket or telescope,
but sometimes a sword or laser
gun. Objects like these are a
great setting-off point for a
story.
Skills
“What are they good at?”
Help your child come up with
four things their hero is good
at. I often ask this question in
more general terms like “What
do superheroes do?” When your
child answers this question
they’re telling you two things.
First, they’re telling you what
they think is important for their
hero; and next to that, they’re
telling you what they want to
happen in the story.
A child who says their fairy
hero is good at being brave,
fighting monsters, flying quickly,
and finding hidden things, is
expecting a different story to a
child who picks being friendly,
doing magic, talking to animals,
and hiding.
When choosing skills, try and
keep the skill categories broad,
and varied. Skills like ‘Being
brave’ or ‘Running and jumping’
can be used for lots of situations.
Skills like ‘Row a rowing boat’
are more limiting. I find having
at least one broad physical skill,
like ‘Running and jumping’,
makes storytelling easier.
Once you’ve got four skills that
will work for both of you, ask
which skill their hero is best at.
Assign that the D12, then ask
which of the three remaining
skills they’re next best at – give
that the D10. Then ask which of
the remaining two they’re best
at – give that the D8. The last
skill gets the D6 – don’t describe
this as their worst skill. This is
something a hero can do – it’s
awesome!
When I assign dice I physically
hand them to the kids, telling
them “This is your being-brave
dice”, “This is your fighting-
monsters dice” and so on.
Story sheet
At the back of this book is a
story sheet to record the details
of your child’s hero on. Since
there isn’t much to record, most
of it is blank – use the space for
drawing pictures of the hero, or
other things in the adventure.
Dice
To play Amazing Tales you’ll
ideally have dice with 12, 10, 8
and 6 sides. You can get these at
games shops or online. Dice are
named D (pronounced Dee) and
then the number of sides they
have. D6, D12, and so on.
See page 18 for more on dice, and
what to do if you only have six-
sided dice available.
Amazing Tales ~ 9
Creating a hero
We’re making up a story about
adventures on the pirate seas,
and my daughter wants to play a
pirate. Called Jim Slim. We talk
about what pirates do, and she
decides that Jim has his own
ship, called the Rapscallion.
She tells me that Jim is quite
young, with red hair. He wears
big boots, a blue coat and has
a pirate hat. He’s a very smart
pirate who reads treasure maps
and sails the pirate ship himself.
He has a pet octopus. The
octopus is called Wriggle, and
is very good at finding treasure
under the water.
I suggest some skills that Jim
might want to have, based on
what I’ve been told and the list
of suggested skills for adventures
on the pirate seas...
ÕÕSailing ships
ÕÕOctopus care
ÕÕSeeking treasure
ÕÕNavigating
ÕÕSwashbuckling
My daughter likes the sound of
navigating, because it involves
10 ~ Amazing Tales
maps and sailing. But she has
to pick four, so eventually we
choose
ÕÕSailing ships
ÕÕOctopus care
ÕÕSeeking treasure
ÕÕSwashbuckling
Since Jim can’t navigate I can
just decide to leave that out of
the adventure, or make it a plot
point. Maybe Jim will need to
befriend someone who knows
the way to the treasure island.
Anything Wriggle the octopus
does will be covered by the
octopus care skill. Meanwhile
Swashbuckling is a very flexible
skill that will cover any physical
stuff Jim needs to do.
Now all we have to do is pick
dice for each skill. My daughter
says that Jim is best at Sailing
ships, so that gets a D12. Then
she picks Swashbuckling, which
gets a D10. Then Octopus care
gets a D8 and finally Seeking
treasure gets a D6.
Captain Jim Slim is ready for his
adventure!
Telling an amazing tale
So you have a setting, and a hero.
Now all you need is a story. If
you’re out of practice at making
up stories, don’t worry. Your
child is going to help. Still, here
are some tips...
The basics
ÕÕDon’t over-prepare. A tiny
bit of an idea is all you need.
The story seeds in this guide
are plenty to start with. Pick
one and spend a few minutes
thinking about it, or invent
your own, and off you go.
ÕÕHold your ideas loosely.
Your child isn’t going to do
what you expect, so don’t get
attached to things that haven’t
happened yet.
ÕÕAsk lots of questions. If you’re
describing something, ask
your child what it might be
like. If you make the question
specific, it will be easier to
answer.
“As you get closer, the space
station comes into view. What
shape is it? Where do spaceships
land on it?”
“The monster jumps down from
12 ~ Amazing Tales
the trees behind you. It reaches
for you with its – what do you
think – claws or tentacles?”
“Hidden in the underwater cave
is the pirate treasure. There are
crates of gold and jewels and one
very special thing. What is it?”
ÕÕUse the skills written on the
story sheet to give options.
“The angry hedgehogs are
getting closer. Do you – try to
make friends with them? Fly
away quickly? Bravely wait to see
what they do?”
“The wizard waves his wand and
the curtains come to life and try
to wrap you up. Do you use your
own magic? Fight them with
your sword? Run and jump past
them?”
ÕÕBuild on your child’s ideas.
Don’t take decisions because
“that couldn’t happen” or
because “that doesn’t fit”
or because “that wouldn’t
work”. Take the ideas and
build on them. Try and avoid
responding to anything your
child says with a negative.
Instead go for a “Yes, and...”
response.
 “The ferocious dragon is going to
eat you up!”
“I tickle the dragon with a
feather.”
“Yes, and he laughs so loud the
building starts to collapse – what
do you do?”
“The goblins lock you in a
dungeon””
“I open the door with a key.”
“Yes, those goblins never saw you
steal it. And now you’ve got to
get past them – how do you do
that?”
Story structure
Stories need a beginning, a
middle and an end. One approach
is to fill these in by:
ÕÕStarting with a bang.
Something should happen
early. Something that creates
a problem and lets you ask the
essential question “What do
you do?” Try to get to that bit
in no more than a couple of
sentences. Here’s an example.
“All seems quiet on the
Interstellar Cruiser HMS
Starshine, when the alarms
sound. The ship is getting faster
and faster, and rushing toward an
asteroid field. What do you do?”
Perhaps resolving the immediate
problem reveals the real
challenge. In this case, the
ship is accelerating because the
engines have been sabotaged.
ÕÕHaving one thing lead to
another. Complex interlinked
narratives aren’t what we’re
looking for here. To solve the
problem created at the start,
maybe three different things
are needed.
“To stop the starship’s engines
exploding, you’ll need to find the
mechanic, shut down the flux
capacitor, and destroy the evil
robots in the engineering bay’.”
Doing each of those things might
involve a number of challenges,
but the key one could be tied to
the skills your child selected for
their hero. In this case, perhaps;
‘Being friendly’, because the
mechanic is hiding and has to be
coaxed out; ‘Inventing things’,
Amazing Tales ~ 13
because the flux capacitor is
complicated; and ‘Shooting my
laser gun’, because that’s what
takes care of evil robots.
Of course your child might
invent a robot mechanic, shoot
the capacitor and make friends
with the robots – and let’s be
honest, that all sounds like more
fun – but the key is that there
is an obvious, entertaining way
forward at every step.
ÕÕEnd in a satisfying way. Kids
like happy endings, which
generally means everything
back in its right place, and
14 ~ Amazing Tales
back to normal. It also helps
if there’s a big showdown
with the ultimate cause of the
problem.
“The robots agree that they
should not blow up the ship, and
decide to help you. But suddenly
the airlock bursts open and in
comes Mecha Grimclaw, the
cyborg inventor. ‘You’ve foiled
my plan,’ he shouts, ‘but now I’m
going to deal with you myself!’”
For some examples of Amazing
Tales take a look at the website
at www.amazing-tales.net/read-
amazing-tales/
Drama and dice
The dice that you’ll be using
are there to help the story
along. Heroes don’t always get
everything their own way. Plus
children like rolling dice. When
is it the right time to roll a dice?
ÕÕIf the hero tries something
that seems like it might fail;
ÕÕIf failure would be as
interesting as success;
then it’s probably a good time to
roll the dice.
Roll the dice related to the most
suitable skill. If they get a three
or more, their hero succeeds.
For example, Space Explorer
Louie is piloting his starship
through an asteroid field. His
‘Flying spaceships’ dice size
is 10. So his player rolls a ten-
sided dice, and it comes up five
– Louie successfully flies his ship
through the asteroids!
Children like to describe exactly
what happens when their hero
succeeds at something. Let them
make it as exciting and amazing
as they want.
16 ~ Amazing Tales
What happens if they fail?
If a child rolls a one or a two,
then their hero has failed at
whatever it was they were trying
to do.
Here’s what to do when a failure
happens. Move quickly so that
instead of dwelling on the
failure the child moves straight
on to answering the important
question – “What do you do
now?”
First, make the situation worse,
but don’t bring it to an end. So...
ÕÕThe monster catches you, but
it doesn’t eat you up.
ÕÕYour jump across the chasm
falls short leaving you clinging
to a cliff, but you don’t fall to
your death.
ÕÕYou’re too scared to go into
the tunnel and the wolves are
getting closer, but you don’t
run away.
Once you’ve described the failure
and escalated the situation, ask
the child “What do you do now?’
If they don’t have an idea, look
at the skills on your child’s story
sheet and offer them choices
based on those.
As long as each failure makes
the situation worse, but doesn’t
end it, then there will always,
eventually, be a happy ending.
Meanwhile, things will get more
and more dramatic. But just in
case things don’t start to turn
around, here’s some extra advice.
What happens if they fail
repeatedly?
Sooner or later your child will
roll a 1, then another 1, then a 2,
then a 1... You may reach a point
where escalating the situation
some more just isn’t feasible.
Here are some routes out of this
mess:
Have something work – you
don’t have to roll the dice. Yes,
that works! This can feel a
little forced; but if your child
has thought of something very
different, the impression is it
succeeded because it was a good
idea – and that’s fine.
Shift the context to remove the
immediate peril:
ÕÕThe monster throws you in a
cauldron to eat later – how will
you escape?
ÕÕYou fall, but there is a lake at
the bottom of the chasm – can
you swim?
ÕÕSomething comes out of the
tunnel and pulls you in – but
what was it?
Introduce a white knight who
turns up to rescue the hero. This
can feel somewhat unsatisfying,
so be sure to give your child a
chance to rescue them right back
before the end of the story.
Optional Rule: Try something
new
If you don’t let a child use the
same skill twice in a row during a
situation, you’ll force some extra
creativity into the story.
For instance, while exploring
a cave Captain Jim Slim is
ambushed by his arch rival, the
ferocious Captain Dread.
“I’ll swashbuckle him with
my cutlass,” states Jim Slim’s
player; but he rolls a 1 on his
swashbuckling dice. Captain
Dread disarms Jim Slim with a
Amazing Tales ~ 17
secret move and then prepares a
fresh attack.
Usually, Jim Slim’s player could
simply ask to try swashbuckling
again. But with the ‘Try
something new’ rule, he has to
choose from his remaining three
skills: Sailing ships, Octopus care
and Seeking treasure.
“Wriggle will squirt octopus
ink in his face!” suggests
Jim’s player. He rolls a 7 on
his Octopus care dice. Wriggle
squirts ink into Captain Dread’s
face, blinding him, while Jim
Slim picks up his cutlass and
dashes deeper into the cave.
18 ~ Amazing Tales
Playing with ordinary dice
Don’t worry if you’ve only got
normal, six-sided dice available.
There are two ways to work
around that.
1. Simply use a six-sided dice for
everything, and leave the target
number as a three or more.
2. Use a six-sided dice for
everything, but vary the target
number. For the skill the hero is
best at, make it a two or more.
For the thing they are least good
at, make it a four or more. And
for the two skills in the middle,
stay with three or more.
Tips and tricks: Amazing magic
What it looks like
Lots of different kinds of heroes
can do magic. The best way to
handle this is to ask your child
to describe what happens when
a spell works. Maybe the witch
is turned into a frog; maybe
the chair grows wings and
flies across the chasm. Maybe
there’s just a bit of stardust
and the broken plates are all
back together. This is a great
opportunity for using “Yes,
and...” storytelling techniques.
So:
“There are glowing lights, and
the plates stick back together.”
“Yes, and from then on there
was a picture on the plates of the
helpful fairy who fixed them.”
The obvious problem
By its very nature, magic can
accomplish the impossible. For
example, on a quest to recover
the Golden Necklace from the
top of Snowy Mountain your
precocious child declares “Monty
the Wizard does a spell to bring
him the necklace” – what do you
do?
Go with it – maybe getting
the necklace is just the start of
things. Maybe it was a test to see
if Monty was clever enough to
try the real quest. Sometimes it’s
good to let bright ideas pay off;
just remember that it may not
make for a satisfying story this
way.
Provide an explanation – the
necklace is too far away. The
necklace is in a magic box.
Whoever stole the necklace has
put a spell on it so Monty can’t
magic it back. As long as there’s
an explanation, your child will
probably be fine with it. Just be
sure to give them a chance to
succeed at a magic test pretty
quickly so they remain convinced
that Monty is a brilliant wizard.
Cause a problem – messing
about with magic causes all
kinds of problems. Maybe the
necklace was around the neck
of a Yeti, and now Monty’s got
to deal with an angry Yeti who
wants to go home.
Amazing Tales ~ 19
Tips and tricks: Thrilling fights
Like most challenges in
Amazing Tales , fights are
handled with a single roll of
the dice. Focus on making the
description exciting: and if the
hero fails their roll, escalate the
situation quickly. If the hero
wins, encourage your child to
describe their victory
Making them last
If the adventure is climaxing
with an epic showdown, it could
be that a single dice roll doesn’t
feel like enough. The easiest way
to stretch out a fight is to think
of it as a series of challenges. For
instance:
“First the bad guy sends his
minions to attack you. What do
you do?”
“Then he unleashes his secret
weapon – how do you survive?”
“Next he leaps to a high gantry –
can you follow him?”
“Finally you face him in hand
to hand combat – will you
triumph?”
22 ~ Amazing Tales
Alternative victories
“I chop off his head,” shouts
your child, displaying a
bloodthirstiness you hadn’t
expected. Don’t worry: stories
are full of this kind of thing.
However, this might not be
something you want as part of a
game you play with your child.
The good news is, there are
plenty of ways to resolve fight
scenes that offer more drama and
less brutality...
The monsters run away – this
is the easiest one. The hero
rushes forward swinging his
sword, and the bad guys run for
their lives. Which means they
can come back later.
The bad guys surrender –
after a dramatic and satisfying
exchange of blows the bad guys
surrender and promise to be
good.
The monsters are humiliated –
cutting off the giant’s head is far
less amusing than spanking him
on the bottom until he cries.
The monsters are captured –
pushed into a big hole, locked
in a dungeon, thrown into jail – Will you child accept these
there are lots of ways for heroes substitutes for blood and gore? My
to end a fight by capturing their experience is that the answer is
opponents. almost always yes.

The monsters aren’t real

people – robots, skeletons, giant
vegetables propelled by magic.
All fair game for a hero’s sword.

Amazing Tales ~ 23
Tips and tricks: Gaming with kids
Here’s a rundown of ten things
I’ve learned while roleplaying
with kids:
1. Pick a good place to play –
whether snuggled up on the
sofa, or sitting at the table, make
sure everyone is comfortable.
Make sure everyone’s been to the
bathroom. And make sure you
have a good place to roll dice.
2. Try and keep distractions to
a minimum. The TV, younger
siblings, a tablet, a pile of lego
bricks can all distract. Telling
and following a story is hard
work for young children: give
them room to focus by keeping
distractions away. “First we’ll
tidy up, then we’ll make up a
story” is a good way to start.
3. Let them run around – if
your story is so exciting that the
players just have to jump up and
down, re-enact their actions,
and celebrate their victories, then
you’re doing well.
4. Kids can be scared of all
kinds of things – if children
start making themselves small,
become passive, and don’t seem
26 ~ Amazing Tales
to want to engage with the game
anymore, it might be that things
are just too frightening. Don’t
carry on: stop, and talk to them.
5. Talking to strangers can be
hard – even if they’re strangers
in a story, made up by you. Don’t
rely on young players asking
for information, or picking
up on hints in conversation:
be prepared to volunteer
information right from the start.
6. Kids love props – spend five
minutes drawing a treasure map
ahead of time. Or hand them
a calculator and tell them it’s
a super-mini-computer. Work
things you picked up on a nature
hike into your story, or remind
them of things they’ve seen
in a museum. Grab some toys.
Anything that makes things
tangible is good.
7. Remember that they haven’t
seen all the cliches yet – so you
can use them! Swords stuck in
stones. Bombs with a red wire
and a green wire. A monster that
is really the janitor in disguise.
To young children, these are
brilliantly original ideas.
8. Children are easily upset if
their characters get injured or
lose their treasured possessions.
Be very careful if you have this
happen in your story.
9. If it’s not working, let it go –
sometimes they’re just not in the
mood.
28 ~ Amazing Tales
10. Roleplaying with your kids is
one of the most enjoyable things
you can do. One that gives you
shared experiences and points of
reference that really last. So be
sure to enjoy it.
Introducing the settings
This book contains four settings guidelines here, you’ll know that
to help you make up Amazing things should run smoothly.
Tales:
Advice on making up stories
The Deep Dark Forest – where in the setting, including
fairies and talking animals live suggestions about friends and
far from ordinary people. foes, and descriptions of things
you could see, smell, touch,
Magical Kingdoms Long Ago taste, or feel in the setting. Use
– where knights, wizards and these last notes to liven up your
witches do mighty deeds. descriptions and bring your
stories to life.
The Pirate Seas – where
adventure waits beyond the Story seeds for the setting.
horizon. These are short ideas for a
story. Each seed includes a
Adventures in the Stars – where straightforward version, and a
a galaxy full of aliens, robots and twist to add extra depth and a
mystery awaits. surprise as the story unfolds.
Using the twists usually makes
In each section you will find: the resulting stories about twice
as long.
A guide to making up a hero,
including suggested skills for
heroes and descriptions of those
skills. You don’t have to stick to
the skills suggested. Indeed, you
should use them as jumping-
off points for more ideas. And
there’s no reason to stick strictly
to the settings. Pirates, or
piratically-inclined heroes, could
turn up in space. Fairies could go
to sea. But if you do stick to the
Amazing Tales ~ 29
Tales from the Deep Dark Wood
“In the deep dark wood you will find trees that move by themselves,
animals that talk, and fairies who look after the forest. Who would you like
to be in this story – a fairy, or a talking animal?”

Fairies the story sheet.

“Fairies are very small, no bigger
than the palm of your hand.
They have wings like butterflies
or dragonflies, and love to play
in the sunshine. There are boy
fairies, and girl fairies. What is
the name of your fairy?”
Fill in on the story sheet.
“Is your fairy tall or short? What
do they wear? What colour hair
do they have? Is it long or short?
What do their wings look like?”
“Do they carry anything with
them?”
ÕÕBeing brave
ÕÕBeing friendly
ÕÕDoing magic
ÕÕTalking to animals
ÕÕFlying quickly
ÕÕFighting monsters
ÕÕFinding hidden things
“Which of these things is your
fairy best at?”
Write 12 as the dice size.
“What are they next best at?”
Write 10 as the dice size.

Draw the fairy onto the story “Which of the last two are they
sheet. best at?”

“Fairies can do lots of different Write 8 as the dice size, and 6 as

things. What is your fairy good the dice size for the remaining
at?” skill.

Pick four of the following, or

invent your own, and write onto
Amazing Tales ~ 31
Suggested Fairy Skills
These are examples of the kinds
of skills a fairy hero might
have, and the kinds of situations
they might be used in. Feel free
to invent your own, and keep
interpretation of them as flexible
as possible.
Being brave
Fairies are small, and often have
to be brave. They can be scared
of monsters, or the dark, or of
being alone.
Being friendly
The deep dark wood is full of
all kinds of strange people and
creatures who just want to be
left to their own business. But
a friendly fairy can always find
friends to help them.
Doing magic
Some fairies can cast magic
spells. Fairy magic can do all
kinds of things. Healing hurt
creatures, turning monsters to
stone, or even making things
disappear!
32 ~ Amazing Tales
Talking to animals
Not all the animals in the Deep
Dark Wood can talk to other
creatures. But fairies who can
do this can always talk with
animals. What the animals say
might not always make much
sense, though!
Flying quickly
All fairies can fly, but some can
fly quicker than others. Fairies
who can fly fast are very hard
for monsters to catch.
Fighting monsters
Fairies might be too small to
fight big monsters; but spiders,
beetles, rats, and other nasty
creatures sometimes need to be
chased away.
Finding hidden things
Fairies are very good at spotting
things that big people don’t see.
This could be clues, or treasure.
Talking Animals
“Talking animals live in the
deep dark forest. There are
all kinds of talking animals,
like foxes, badgers, mice, deer,
sparrows, and owls. The talking
animals like to play with the
fairies in the deep dark woods.
Talking animals never eat other
talking animals.
“What kind of animal are you?”
Fill in on the story sheet
“What colour is your fur or
feathers? Is there something
about you that looks different
– like a pattern in your fur, or a
different-coloured feather?”
Draw the animal onto the story
sheet.
“Animals can do lots of different
things: what is your animal good
at?”
Pick four of the following, or
invent your own, and write onto
the story sheet.
ÕÕBeing brave
ÕÕBeing cute
ÕÕSmelling things
ÕÕFlying quickly
ÕÕHiding
ÕÕClimbing
ÕÕBeing fierce
ÕÕRunning and jumping
“Which of these things is your
animal best at?”
Write 12 as the dice size.
“What are they next best at?”
Write 10 as the dice size.
“Which of the last two are they
best at?”
Write 8 as the dice size, and 6 as
the dice size for the last one.
Suggested Animal Skills
These are examples of the kinds
of skills an animal hero might
have, and the kinds of situations
they might be used in. Feel free
to invent your own, and keep
interpretation of them as flexible
as possible.
Amazing Tales ~ 35
Being brave
Animals often have to be brave.
For instance, mice are scared of
cats and foxes, while foxes are
scared of wolves, and wolves
might be scared of hunters. Dark
caves, witches, or monsters can
be scary too.
Being cute
Animals can be very cute. Cute
animals can easily make friends
with people or fairies, and people
often want to help them.
Smelling things
Some animals have an amazing
sense of smell. They can smell
things from far away, and tell
which other animals have been
somewhere.
Flying quickly
Some animals can fly, and
animals that can fly quickly
are really good at it. They can
loop the loop, race other flying
animals, or fly through thick
forests without slowing down.
36 ~ Amazing Tales
Hiding
Hiding and sneaking is
something some animals are
great at. Moving so quietly they
can’t be heard, disappearing from
sight when the scary creatures
appear, or sneaking up on other
creatures are things these
animals can do.
Climbing
The deep dark wood is full of
trees: being able to climb them
quickly is very helpful. There
might be other things to climb
too; like cliffs, towers, or magic
beanstalks.
Being fierce
Some animals can be very fierce;
using their teeth, beak, or claws
to fight other animals, chase
away monsters, or catch prey.
Running and jumping
Animals who are good at running
and jumping have no trouble
getting around the deep dark
wood. They can dash through
thick forest, and jump over fallen
logs and holes in the ground.
Making up stories in the Deep Dark Wood
Imagining the wood ÕÕUnicorns
ÕÕNymphs
To make making up a story
easier, think about the answer to ÕÕWitches
some of these questions, or ask ÕÕWizards
your child... ÕÕSprites
What’s your wood like? ÕÕGoblins
ÕÕBoggarts
Some woods are deep, dark, and
scary. Some are bright and sunlit. Natural hazards
In some woods trouble lurks
behind every tree: other woods The wood also contains plenty
are happy places where monsters of natural hazards that could be
are rare. challenging. For instance:
ÕÕSwamps
Is someone in charge?
ÕÕPoisonous berries
It might be that your wood is ÕÕDeep pools
ruled by a fairy king or queen. ÕÕRushing rivers
Or maybe there’s a particular
animal who is in charge – a bear ÕÕFires
or stag, or a very wise mouse. ÕÕFalling trees
Where does the ruler live, what ÕÕDark caves
does it look like, what makes it
special? ÕÕWells

What else lives in the wood? Sounds in the wood

The wood could be home to all Birdsong, crackling twigs,

kinds of amazing creatures. rustling leaves, wind in the
There might be: trees, faraway howling, buzzing
insects...
ÕÕDragons

38 ~ Amazing Tales
Smells in the wood Tastes in the wood

Fresh tree smell, wildflower Sweet berries, crunchy nuts,

scent, wet moss, rotting wood, bitter leaves, fresh water, sticky
fur... honey...

Sights in the wood Feelings in the wood

Tall trees, pools of sunlight, Clouds of insects, soft moss,

hollow trees, abandoned sharp twigs, crumbly old leaves,
burrows, wild orchids, twisted rough bark...
roots...

Amazing Tales ~ 39
Story seeds in the Deep Dark Wood
Play these straight, combine
them, or use the twists to add a
bit more fun to the story:
1. A wicked witch has kidnapped
a baby owl. Can the heroes rescue
her?
Twist: The witch is lonely since her
cat died, and wants an animal to be
her friend.
2. Beavers have dammed the
river and it is flooding! The
rabbit warrens will soon be
under water.
Twist: The beavers have been
tricked into this by a cunning fox
who likes to eat rabbits.
3. A confused wizard keeps
turning animals into other
animals. Can he be stopped?
Twist: The wizard cast a spell on his
glasses, and everything looks wrong
to him.
4. Wolves have moved into the
forest and are hunting the nice
animals.
Twist: The wolves themselves are
40 ~ Amazing Tales
fleeing a worse threat – a hungry
dragon!
5. Fire is raging through the
woods, can the heroes save their
homes?
Twist: The fires were started by
people who want to turn the woods
into fields.
6. The fairy king has a new
cloak. It is so beautiful all the
fairies are fighting over it!
Twist: The cloak was a gift from his
wicked uncle who wants to be king.
7. A giant hole has appeared in
the wood and foul smells are
coming out of it.
Twist: The hole is part of a goblin
mine.
8. In a storm the heroes are
blown far away and must find
their way home.
Twist: The place they are blown to
is a magical kingdom in the clouds
where they are trespassers who
cannot leave.
9. Three hedgehogs arrive,
explaining they are people who
have been turned into animals.
Can the heroes help?

Twist: The three hedgehogs were

transformed as a punishment for
stealing, and are no better now than
then!

10. The Spider Queen’s silk cloak

has been stolen. Can the heroes
recover it?

Twist: It turns people invisible: so

how can you find the thief?

Amazing Tales ~ 41
Tales from Magical Kingdoms Long Ago
“In the magical kingdoms you will find kings and queens, warriors and
wizards, dragons, unicorns, and giants. Who would you like to be in this
story – a prince or princess, a knight, a witch or wizard, or an explorer or
ranger?”

Princes and princesses ÕÕBeing brave

“Princes and princesses are the
guardians of a kingdom. They
protect and look after all the
inhabitants, help them when
they have problems, and deal
with monsters that threaten the
kingdom. Sometimes they can
do magic. What is your prince or
princess called?”
Fill in on the story sheet.
“What does your prince or
princess look like? How do people
in the kingdom recognise you? Do
you live in a castle?”
ÕÕDoing magic
ÕÕFighting monsters
ÕÕKnowing things
ÕÕMaking friends
ÕÕRunning and jumping
ÕÕTalking to animals
“Which of these things is your
hero best at?”
Write 12 as the dice size.
“What are they next best at?”
Write 10 as the dice size.

Draw the prince or princess onto “Which of the last two are they
the story sheet. best at?”

“Princes and princesses can do Write 8 as the dice size, and 6 as

lots of different things: what is the dice size for the last one.
your hero good at?”

Pick four of the following, or

invent your own, and write onto
the story sheet.

Amazing Tales ~ 43
Knights in armour ÕÕFighting monsters
ÕÕRiding
“Knights in armour are the
bravest fighters in the kingdom. ÕÕRunning and jumping
They look for the most dangerous
“Which of these things is your
monsters to defeat, and go on
hero best at?”
quests to find treasure or rescue
people. What is the name of your
knight?” Write 12 as the dice size.

Fill in on the story sheet. “What are they next best at?”

“What does your knight in Write 10 as the dice size.

armour look like? Do they have
a shield with a picture on it? “Which of the last two are they
What is it? Do they ride a horse, best at?”
or something else? What is it
called?” Write 8 as the dice size, and 6 as
the dice size for the last one.
Draw the knight in armour onto
the story sheet.

“Knights in armour can do lots of

different things: what is your hero
good at?”

Pick four of the following, or

invent your own, and write onto
the story sheet.
ÕÕBeing brave
ÕÕBeing strong
ÕÕBeing fast

Amazing Tales ~ 47
Witches and wizards
“Witches and wizards can do
magic. They are often very clever
and know many secret things.
They use their magic to solve
problems and help protect the
kingdom. What is the name of
your wizard?”
ÕÕRunning and jumping
ÕÕTalking to animals
“Which of these things is your
hero best at?”
Write 12 as the dice size.
“What are they next best at?”

Fill in on the story sheet. Write 10 as the dice size.

“What does your witch or wizard “Which of the last two are they
look like? Do they have a magic best at?”
wand or staff? Do they have a
magical creature as a friend?” Write 8 as the dice size, and 6 as
the dice size for the last one.
Draw the witch or wizard onto
the story sheet.

“Witches and wizards can do lots

of different things: what is your
hero good at?”

Pick four of the following, or

invent your own, and write onto
the story sheet.
ÕÕBeing brave
ÕÕDoing magic
ÕÕHiding and sneaking
ÕÕKnowing things
ÕÕMaking friends
Amazing Tales ~ 49
Explorers and rangers
“Explorers and rangers live in the
wild parts of the kingdom. They
journey through the wilderness
protecting people from monsters,
caring for nature and looking
for lost treasures. What is your
explorer or ranger called?”
ÕÕRunning and jumping
ÕÕTalking to animals
“Which of these things is your
hero best at?”
Write 12 as the dice size.
“What are they next best at?”

Write on the story sheet. Write 10 as the dice size.

“What does your explorer or “Which of the last two are they
ranger look like? Do to they have best at?”
a big cloak or a hat? Do they have
an animal friend?” Write 8 as the dice size, and 6 as
the dice size for the last one.
Draw the explorer or ranger onto
the story sheet.

“Explorers and rangers can do

lots of different things: what is
your hero good at?”

Pick four of the following, or

invent your own, and write onto
the story sheet.
ÕÕBeing brave
ÕÕBeing fast
ÕÕHiding and sneaking
ÕÕKnowing things
ÕÕFighting monsters
Amazing Tales ~ 51
Suggested skills for Magical
Kingdoms Long Ago
These are examples of the kinds
of skills heroes in the magical
kingdoms might have, and the
kinds of situations they might be
used in. Feel free to invent your
own, and keep interpretation of
them as flexible as possible.
Being brave
There are many scary things
in the magic kingdoms. A hero
might need to be brave to fight
a dragon, explore a dark cave, or
climb a high mountain.
Being fast
Some heroes are super fast. So
fast they’re almost never caught
off guard and can catch arrows
out of the air. They can run
faster than horses, maybe even
fast enough to run across water.
Being strong
Some heroes are super strong.
Able to lift up a person in each
hand, throw heavy rocks huge
distances, and wrestle ogres.
52 ~ Amazing Tales
Climbing and exploring
Magical kingdoms are full of
mountains, tall trees, mysterious
towers, deep swamps, wild
wildernesses, and dark caves.
Heroes who are good at climbing
and exploring travel fearlessly,
knowing they won’t get lost and
can tackle any natural obstacle.
Doing magic
Many people in the magical
kingdoms can do magic. They
can use it to brew potions, make
fire, turn people into other
creatures, fly, find lost treasures,
and do many other amazing
things.
Fighting monsters
The monsters of the magical
kingdom can be fought in many
ways. With bare hands. With
swords, lances, and battle axes.
With bows and arrows, lassos,
and catapults.
Hiding and sneaking
Some monsters are so scary that
it’s a better idea to hide from
them, or maybe to sneak up on
them, or past them. Heroes who
are good at this are so stealthy
it’s almost as if they’re invisible.
Knowing things
Why is the haunted wood
haunted? What are the three
things a troll is always scared
of? How do you find a unicorn?
Heroes who are good at knowing
things might know the answers
to any of these questions.
Making friends
Some heroes have no trouble
finding friends. Maybe they
already know someone who
can help with their problem,
or maybe they can charm the
grumpy villagers into helping
out.
Riding
Lots of heroes ride things.
Sometimes they ride horses;
sometimes dragons, pegasus,
broomsticks, flying carpets, or
giant eagles.
Running and jumping
Heroes in the magic kingdoms
are often called on to run, jump,
climb, swim, leap, lift, or throw
in the course of their adventures.
Talking to animals
Some magical animals can talk
to anyone. But heroes who can
talk to animals can speak with
any creature. What the animals
say back might not always make
much sense, though.
Amazing Tales ~ 53
Making up stories in Magical Kingdoms Long Ago
Imagining the kingdoms
To make making up a story
easier, think about the answer to
some of these questions, or ask
your child...
What’s the kingdom like?
Is it big or small? Does it have
mountains, hills, deserts, rivers,
a coastline? Are there forests? Are
there many small villages, big
cities, towns or farmsteads? What
about landmarks – spectacular
waterfalls, stone circles, ancient
trees, or the like?
Who rules?
Is the kingdom ruled by a king,
a queen or someone else, like
a wizard or a dragon? Are they
kind or cruel? Do they have any
unusual habits, or history? Or is
the ruler missing, or are there
multiple claimants to the throne.
Speaking of which – where does
the ruler live, and do they have a
special throne?
Who lives in the kingdom?
A magical kingdom can be
54 ~ Amazing Tales
home to all kinds of groups and
creatures. Why not add some...
ÕÕPeasants, farmers,
townspeople, knights, lords
and ladies
ÕÕPriests of strange gods
ÕÕCovens of witches
ÕÕSchools of wizards
ÕÕTravelling elven musicians
ÕÕGiant insects
ÕÕDwarven inventors
ÕÕGoblin mushroom hunters
ÕÕTribes of werebears
ÕÕMeditating giants
Unexpected threats
A magical kingdom could contain
plenty of challenges to delay an
adventurer:
ÕÕAvalanches
ÕÕBlankets of fog
ÕÕHypnotic lights in the sky
ÕÕMigrating wyverns
ÕÕPlagues of locusts
ÕÕRaging rivers
ÕÕSpells gone wrong
ÕÕHaunted houses
ÕÕWill o‘the wisps
ÕÕWalking woods
Sounds in the kingdom
Market sellers, hurdy-gurdy
players, clattering hooves,
clanking armour, chanting
wizards...
Smells in the kingdom
Roasting meat, leather tanning,
old ale, unwashed peasants,
perfumed silks...
Sights in the kingdom
Forbidding castles, rickety
bridges, towering cliffs, ancient
earthworks, majestic ships...
Tastes in the kingdom
Sweet wine, bitter apples, roast
boar, stale bread, thick stew,
candied fruit, fresh berries...
Feelings in the kingdom
Roughly-carved stone, smooth
steel, cold iron, scratchy wool,
wet leather, warm fires...
Story seeds in Magical
Kingdoms Long Ago
Play these straight, combine
them, or use the twists to add a
bit more fun to the story:
1. A roaming troll is threatening
a village. Can the heroes stop it?
Twist: The queen wants to add it to
her magical creature collection.
2. Mermaids have invited the
prince to an undersea party, will
the heroes accompany him?
Twist: A mermaid falls in love with
the prince and they will not let him
go.
3. Pirates are raiding the coast,
can they be stopped?
Twist: The pirates have magical
flying ships.
4. Thick thorns have cut off
Deepdale village. Someone must
save the villagers!
Twist: The villagers made the
thorns to keep a monster locked
away from the rest of the kingdom.
Amazing Tales ~ 55
5. Thanks to snow constantly
coming from the high
mountains, winter will not end.
Twist: A spell is making the same
weather repeat every day in the
mountains.
6. The princess has been carried
off by a wicked wizard to his
tower. She must be rescued!
Twist: The princess has locked the
wizard in his own tower and wants
him to make her beautiful.
heroes?
Twist: While the heroes are away,
competing thieves plan to steal the
king’s gold!
10. Ghosts are troubling the
residents of the Queen’s castle,
screaming and shouting.
Twist: The ghosts are actually
messengers from the future, trying to
warn of a coming disaster.

7. Orcs and goblins are invading.

The bridge at Riverpass must be
defended.

Twist: The goblins have already

crossed the bridge. It’s a trap!

8. A dwarven inventor needs

help collecting materials to make
his hot-air balloon.

Twist: A rival inventor is

determined to be the first dwarf to
fly.

9. A rival kingdom has

challenged the king to a contest.
Which kingdom has the greatest
56 ~ Amazing Tales
Adventures on the Pirate Seas
The Pirate Seas are an exciting and dangerous place. Will you hunt for
treasure, explore forgotten islands, befriend the mermaids, fight sea
monsters, or brave the wild blue yonder?”

Pirates ÕÕMarksmanship
ÕÕNavigating
“A pirate captain is master of a ÕÕParrot care
ship and its crew. They sail the
seven seas in search of treasure ÕÕSailing ships
and adventure. What is the name ÕÕSeeking treasure
of your pirate?” ÕÕSwashbuckling
Fill in on the story sheet. ÕÕSwordplay

“Which of these things is your

“What does your pirate look like?
hero best at?”
What’s the name of their ship? Do
they have a pet, or an eyepatch,
Write 12 as the dice size.
or a hook hand?”
“What are they next best at?”
Draw the pirate onto the story
sheet.
Write 10 as the dice size.
“Pirates can do lots of things:
what is your hero good at?” “Which of the last two are they
best at?”
Pick four of the following, or
invent your own, and write onto Write 8 as the dice size, and 6 as
the story sheet. the dice size for the last one.

ÕÕBeing daring
ÕÕBeing ferocious
ÕÕCooking

Amazing Tales ~ 59
Suggested pirate skills
These are examples of the kinds
of skills heroes on the pirate seas
might have, and the kinds of
situations they might be used in.
Feel free to invent your own, and
keep interpretation of them as
flexible as possible.
Being daring
The sea is a dangerous place, full
of beasts and hazards that would
terrify landlubbers. But daring
pirates know that the best way
to deal with this is to laugh in
the face of danger. Especially if
the face of danger has teeth like
daggers, and fishy eyes.
Being ferocious
Most pirates are frightening, but
ferocious pirates are the most
frightening of all. One good
glare and a well-judged threat is
enough to make their enemies
run away, tell their secrets, or
give up their treasure.
Cooking
The captain might think they’re
62 ~ Amazing Tales
the most important person on
a ship, but the rest of the crew
know it’s really the cook. A pirate
cook can turn anything into a
tasty meal. Some pirates cook so
well the results could even be a
little bit magic.
Marksmanship
From cannons to pistols, pirates
like things that go bang! Pirates
who are good at marksmanship
are crack shots with all kinds of
guns.
Navigating
Shifting shoals, coral reefs,
fog banks, incomplete treasure
maps... just getting from one of
the seven seas to the next can
be a challenge. Pirates who can
navigate have no trouble finding
what they’re after; be it safe
harbour, or the way to the next
adventure.
Parrot care
Many pirates own a parrot (or
a monkey, or a ship’s cat, or a
surprisingly capable rat). If that
pet is smart enough to help out
in an adventure, then this is the
skill to use.
Sailing ships
Sailing a pirate ship is no simple
undertaking. But good pirates
know how to hoist the mainsail,
and how to keep a steady hand
on the tiller and the wind to
their back. A key skill when
you’re racing other pirates,
avoiding a sea monster, or seeing
out a storm.
Seeking treasure
From finding clues in old log
books, to knowing just where
to dig on a desert island, some
pirates have a knack for finding
treasure. Maybe they can smell
the gold.
Swashbuckling
Swing from the rigging, dash
across rope bridges, and duel your
rival on the edge of an erupting
volcano. Pirates who swashbuckle
find this kind of thing second
nature.
Swordplay
Whether it’s duelling with
cutlasses, or fending off a sea
serpent with a boarding pike,
pirates who are good at swordplay
excel at fighting.
Amazing Tales ~ 63
Making up stories for Adventures on the Pirate Seas
Imagining the seas
To make making up a story
easier, think about the answer to
some of these questions, or ask
your child...
What are the pirate seas like?
Is it hot or cold? Are there desert
islands, or floating icebergs? Are
there lots of other pirates, or just
a few? Are there many ships, or
many sea-monsters? Are there
lost temples hidden in deep
jungles, and pirate colonies? Do
pirates and merfolk get on well
with each other?
What is the pirate ship like?
Pirates need ships, and ships
need names. It’s also good to
know how many masts a ship
has, how many cannons it has,
whether it has a figurehead,
what the flag looks like, and how
many crew there are.
Accounting for a ship in a game
can be tricky. There are three
ways to do it:
1. It’s a one-pirate ship. Can one
64 ~ Amazing Tales
pirate sail a ship, fire the cannon,
read the charts and keep watch?
In this story, why not? This is the
easiest way to handle things.
2. The player is the captain.
Whenever the hero does
something they have the option
of describing it as if the crew did
it. For instance, fighting off a
band of winged monkeys could
be described as “I brandish my
sabre and drive them off the
deck,” or “My crew seize their
weapons and together we give
the monkeys a taste of cold
steel.”
3. The player is part of the crew.
If you go for this approach,
make the captain the boss –
sending the pirate hero out on
adventures, or creating problems
that the hero needs to solve.
Who might you find at sea?
All sorts of strange creatures can
be found at sea:
ÕÕGiant ship-swallowing whales
ÕÕGlow-in-the-dark jellyfish
ÕÕTalking narwhals
ÕÕMermaids and mermen
ÕÕMerchant traders Smells at sea
ÕÕSky pirates on flying carpets
Salt air, rotten fish, boiling tar,
ÕÕSwarms of tiny crabs exotic spices, acrid gunpowder...
ÕÕMan-eating sharks
ÕÕFlying fish and their water- Sights at sea
nymph riders
Blood-red sunsets, flying fish,
ÕÕSaltwater crocodiles grotesque pirates, circling sharks,
breaching whales, shining gold...
Hazards at sea
Tastes at sea
The pirate seas are dangerous for
even the most prepared pirate.
Things you might run into on or Stale ship’s biscuit, throat-
under the sea: burning rum, delicious coconut,
smoky fish...
ÕÕWhirlpools and maelstroms
ÕÕJagged reefs Feelings at sea
ÕÕClashing rocks
Rough timber, wind in your hair,
ÕÕErupting volcanoes splashing water, warm breezes,
ÕÕUnderwater abysses swaying hammock...
ÕÕSudden storms
ÕÕBlankets of fog
ÕÕDrifting ghost ships
ÕÕPhantom lights
ÕÕDead calm

Sounds at sea

Creaking timbers, crying gulls,

lapping waves, sea shanties,
howling wind, mermaid songs...
Amazing Tales ~ 65
Story seeds for Adventures on the Pirate Seas
Play these straight, combine
them, or use the twists to add a
bit more fun to the story:
1. The pirate king is organising a
contest to find the best pirate on
the seven seas. Can the heroes
beat their greatest rivals?
Twist: This is a pirate contest –
cheating is allowed!
2. A treasure map leads to a
jungle island.
Twist: The island is populated by
dinosaurs, and the treasure is in a
pteranodon’s nest!
3. The pirates must brave traps
and angry monkeys to steal
treasure from an island temple.
Twist: After stealing the treasure,
fog and wind make it impossible
to leave the island. Can the pirates
break the curse?
4. Dastardly pirates have
stolen a magical trident from
the mermaids: can the heroes
retrieve it?
66 ~ Amazing Tales
Twist: The trident controls the wind,
making catching the thieves quite a
challenge.
5. A stranger is found clinging
to driftwood in the middle of
the ocean. Can the pirates return
him to land?
Twist: The stranger is the cunning
Captain Bloodbottle. Marooned by
his own crew, he has a plan to steal
the hero’s ship.
6. A huge storm drives the
pirates far from home. Can they
return to known waters?
Twist: To leave these strange waters
they will need a magical compass.
7. The Pirate King wants to try
the delicious coffee that comes
from the unfindable island of
Monta-Huli.
Twist: The island is unfindable
because it moves! But a magic map
exists that always shows its true
location.
8. Rival pirates have stolen the
hero’s ship and left them on
a deserted island – can they
survive?
Twist: The coral reef off the island
is home to mermaids and mermen.
They’ll help the pirates – but first
they have to do something for them.
9. The terrifying ghost ship,
The Wrecked Mary, has been
sighted. It’s said to be full of
treasure.
Twist: The ship and its ghoulish
crew can only be seen at night. If
you’re on board when the sun rises,
you’re trapped!
10. The direct voyage from
Howling Rocks to Port Plenty has
always been too dangerous to
attempt, but the Pirate King has
offered a rich reward to any crew
that can make it.
Twist: Along the route is a fabulous,
and deadly, treasure island that has
lured all previous visitors to their
doom.
Amazing Tales ~ 67
Adventures Among the Stars
“Far beyond planet earth lies a world of adventure. Gleaming spaceships
voyage from planet to planet, man meets alien, robots talk, and a universe
awaits to be explored. What kind of hero will you be: a space ranger, a
scientist, an alien, or a robot?”

Space Rangers ÕÕFlying spaceships

“A space ranger is an explorer,
adventurer, and warrior. Pushing
into the unknown, searching
for new knowledge, wealth, or
simply adventure. What is the
name of your space ranger?”
Fill in on the story sheet.
“What does your space ranger
look like? What do they wear? Do
they have any special equipment?
Do they have a space ship?”
ÕÕNavigating
ÕÕShooting lasers
ÕÕTalking to aliens
ÕÕUsing computers
“Which of these things is your
hero best at?”
Write 12 as the dice size.
“What are they next best at?”
Write 10 as the dice size.

Draw the space ranger onto the “Which of the last two are they
story sheet. best at?”

“Space rangers can do lots of Write 8 as the dice size, and 6 as

things: what is your hero good the dice size for the last one.
at?”

Pick four of the following, or

invent your own, and write onto
the story sheet.
ÕÕBeing daring
ÕÕFighting monsters

Amazing Tales ~ 69
Scientists and inventors
“Scientists and inventors are
always looking to discover new
things. They love investigating
new technology and solving
problems by inventing new
machines. What is the name of
your scientist?”
Fill in on the story sheet.
“What does your scientist look
like? What do they wear? Do they
have a special invention or some
tools that they always carry with
them?”
ÕÕKnowing things
ÕÕShooting lasers
ÕÕTalking to aliens
ÕÕUsing computers
“Which of these things is your
hero best at?”
Write 12 as the dice size.
“What are they next best at?”
Write 10 as the dice size.
“Which of the last two are they
best at?”

Draw the scientist onto the story Write 8 as the dice size, and 6 as
sheet. the dice size for the last one.

“Scientists can do lots of things:

what is your hero good at?”

Pick four of the following, or

invent your own, and write onto
the story sheet.
ÕÕBeing daring
ÕÕBeing fast
ÕÕDoing science
ÕÕFlying spaceships
ÕÕInventing things
Amazing Tales ~ 73
Aliens ÕÕMind control
ÕÕShooting lasers
“Aliens abound in the galaxy.
Some have five legs, some have “Which of these things is your
none. Some have blue teeth, hero best at?”
three eyes, and tentacles, some
look almost exactly like us, just Write 12 as the dice size.
with an extra ear. Some are
friendly, some are not. What is “What are they next best at?”
the name of your alien?”
Write 10 as the dice size.
Fill in on the story sheet.
“Which of the last two are they
“What does your alien look like? best at?”
What colour are they? How many
arms, legs, or tentacles do they Write 8 as the dice size, and 6 as
have? What does it sound like the dice size for the last one.
when they speak? What do they
eat?”

Draw the Alien onto the story

sheet.

“Aliens can do lots of things:

what is your hero good at?”
ÕÕBeing fast
ÕÕBeing scary
ÕÕBeing strong
ÕÕDevouring things
ÕÕFlying spaceships
ÕÕKnowing things

Amazing Tales ~ 75
Robots
“Robots come in all shapes and
sizes. From robots the size of a
house, to tiny mouse-sized ones.
Robots help explore new worlds,
protect spaceships, and assist
scientists. What is the name of
your robot?”
Fill in on the story sheet.
“Which of these things is your
hero best at?”
Write 12 as the dice size.
“What are they next best at?”
Write 10 as the dice size.
“Which of the last two are they
best at?”

“What does your robot look like? Write 8 as the dice size, and 6 as
What are they made out of? Do the dice size for the last one.
they have chrome trim? Do they
have built-in gadgets? What do
they sound like when they talk?”

Draw the robot onto the story

sheet.

“Robots can do lots of things:

what is your hero good at?”
ÕÕBeing strong
ÕÕFixing things
ÕÕFlying spaceships
ÕÕNavigating
ÕÕhooting lasers
ÕÕTalking to aliens
ÕÕUsing computers

Amazing Tales ~ 77
Suggested skills for Adventures
Among the Stars
These are examples of the kinds
of skills heroes among the stars
might have, and the kinds of
situations they might be used in.
Feel free to invent your own, and
keep interpretation of them as
flexible as possible.
Being daring
Faced with petrifying aliens,
black holes, dimensional rifts,
and who knows what other
hazards, ordinary folk might
turn back. But a daring hero is
brave enough to press on, even
in the face of near certain doom.
Being fast
There’s being fast, and then
there’s being really fast.
Supernaturally fast. So fast no
ordinary human could keep
up. Really fast heroes can run,
jetpack, or maybe even teleport
at incredible speeds.
Being scary
There are plenty of frightening
things in space, and your hero
is one of them. It could be the
steely look in their eye that
makes them so scary, or perhaps
their tentacles, claws, and seven
mouths. It’s up to you.
Being strong
When you’re exploring the galaxy,
it helps to be strong. Able to lift
up heavy machinery, wrestle
giant alien monsters, or hold the
airlock open against the vacuum
of space. Strong heroes can do all
these things, and more.
Devouring things
Aliens have all kinds of ways of
eating things, including their
enemies. Sometimes they chomp
them in their massive jaws, and
sometimes they wrap them up
in sticky tentacles and digest
them slowly. It doesn’t matter:
whatever an alien eats, stays
eaten.
Doing science
Why is the transmatter unit not
working? How can we track the
Ulani fleet through the void? Is
Amazing Tales ~ 79
that flower safe to eat? Doing
science will reveal the answer to
all these questions, and more.
Fighting monsters
Whether with bare hands,
laser swords, or giant powered
exoskeletons, sometimes alien
monsters have to be fought.
Heroes who are good at this will
be a match for any foe.
Fixing things
If the hyperspace unit is out of
order, if your communicator has
been chewed on by a carnivorous
snaarg, or if the rover unit is on
the blink, you need to be good at
fixing things.
Flying spaceships
Skirting the edges of black holes,
piloting through asteroid fields,
shaking off a swarm of enemy
spaceships. This is the skill that
lets you do all these things.
Everyone else is stuck with the
auto-pilot.
80 ~ Amazing Tales
Inventing things
To create a way out of the
interdimensional rift, just reverse
the polarity on the teleporter and
link it to the navigation system!
Heroes who are good at inventing
things do stuff like this all the
time.
Knowing things
The skies on Belta 7 are deepest
purple, the Zorgun Empire
always appreciate gifts of honey
and anchovies, the best place
to find a Snookum is under a
Gringledump. Those are just
some of the things that ordinary
people don’t know, but heroes
who know things do.
Mind control
Some aliens have the power to
make others do what they want.
Sometimes they do this through
hypnotic eyes, or brain-waves;
sometimes with their entrancing
song. Mind control can do many
things, but it can never make
people hurt themselves.
Navigating
Space is vast, which can make
finding things hard. And that’s
before you start thinking
about wormholes, black holes,
alternative dimensions, and rifts
in the fabric of time and space. A
good navigator can deal with all
these things.
Shooting lasers
Some lasers go ‘pew pew pew’
and are part of spaceships, some
go ‘zzzap’ and fit in your pocket.
It doesn’t matter: heroes who are
good at shooting lasers are able
to use them.
Talking to aliens
Gurglebrots communicate by
waving their antennae, Kthaw
talk in strange screeching noises,
and Milbens hum intently.
Heroes who can talk to aliens can
communicate with any of these
creatures.
Using computers
Download the plans of the enemy
base, calculate the trajectory
of the Patik 7 Meteor, and
reconfigure the holo-sim. If your
hero can use computers, they can
do these things.
Amazing Tales ~ 81
Making up stories for Adventures Among the Stars
Imagining Space
To make making up a story
easier, think about the answer to
some of these questions, or ask
your child...
What is space like?
Is it big and empty, or full of
planets? Are aliens friendly
creatures that help people, or
scary monsters out to conquer
the earth? Are there space
stations? What are they like?
Does getting from one place to
another take long?
What’s the name of your
spaceship?
If the hero has a spaceship be
sure to learn all about it. How big
is it, what kinds of gadgets does
it have, is there an escape pod?
How about lasers or torpedoes?
Accounting for a spaceship in
a game can be tricky. See page
64 in the Pirate Seas section for
advice on dealing with ships in
games.
82 ~ Amazing Tales
Science and magic
When it comes to inventing
things, using computers, doing
science, and mind control it’s
worth reviewing the guidance
about using magic in stories on
page 24. In stories these skills
allow heroes to do amazing
things, and that’s how they’re
intended to work in this setting.
Who might you find among the
stars?
All sorts of strange creatures can
be found in space:
ÕÕAsteroid-surfing space
barnacles
ÕÕFriendly blue jellyfish
ÕÕGiant, peaceful interstellar
moths
ÕÕA hive mind of bear-like
creatures
ÕÕLittle green men
ÕÕPrimitive civilisations
ÕÕConvoys of merchant
spaceships
ÕÕIntelligent mushrooms
ÕÕEscaped experimental
organisms
ÕÕTerrifying robot warriors
Hazards among the stars
Space is vast and empty, but
somehow full of danger and
excitement at the same time. Here planetary rings, looming space
are some examples:
ÕÕA tiny hole in the spaceship
ÕÕAsteroid fields
ÕÕRifts in the time–space
continuum
ÕÕAbandoned space stations
ÕÕSupernovas
ÕÕA fleet of ghost ships
ÕÕMalfunctioning satellites
ÕÕDrifting escape pods
ÕÕHurtling comets
ÕÕSecret bases
Sounds among the stars
flowers, machine oil, processed
air...
Sights among the stars
Blazing stars, twin moons,
stations, derelict freighters,
gleaming cities, fleets of
spaceships, alien worlds...
Tastes among the stars
Alien ambrosia, food pills,
shrink-wrapped rations,
wriggling edible bugs...
Feelings among the stars
Zero gravity, smooth screens,
the tingle of teleportation, slimy
tentacles, engine heat, cold
vacuum, rubbery space suits...

Firing rockets, whooshing doors,

the hum of the life support
system, bleeping robots, servo-
motors, electronic voices, alien
chatter, crackling radio...

Smells among the stars

Packaged food, rocket fuel, alien

Amazing Tales ~ 83
Story seeds for Adventures Among the Stars
Play these straight, combine
them, or use the twists to add a
bit more fun to the story:
1. The inhabitants of planet
Xantor need a cure for a deadly
disease. Can it be delivered in
time?
Twist: The heroes must pass
through sector 7, where the cure is
viewed as dangerous contraband!
2. Prince Arim of planet Turan
has been chased into exile by
alien invaders. Can you help him
reclaim his kingdom?
Twist: Prince Arim’s younger sister
invited the aliens in, and they have
made her queen!
3. Chok Tan aliens are
threatening a convoy of cargo
ships. Can the heroes protect
them?
Twist: The captain of one cargo ship
has stolen alien treasures.
4. The primitive Grung
inhabitants of an alien planet
suffer under the tyrannical rule
of an evil overlord.
84 ~ Amazing Tales
Twist: The tyrant is a scientist from
the hero’s own world.
5. One by one the crew of Space
Station Nautilus are disappearing.
Twist: A malfunctioning teleporter
is sending them, one by one to the
surface of Planet Nemo, from where
there is no obvious means of escape.
6. A robot army, the Dilgon
Swarm, is invading while
demanding a treasure no-one
has ever heard of.
Twist: The robots’ Dilgon masters
are long dead, they are running on
autopilot.
7. A giant comet is hurtling
toward planet Earth!
Twist: Aliens are riding on the
comet, using it to sneak past Earth’s
defences!
8. An accident sees the heroes
stranded on the deserted planet
Thargo. They’ll need to find
specific parts to fix their ship
and escape.
Twist: The planet is used as a secret
base by a gang of smugglers. They
won’t be happy to see the heroes.

9. A merchant wants the heroes

to track down the rare Persipid
flower, famed for its delicious
smell. Can the heroes collect
some?

Twist: Perisipid flowers only grow

deep inside an active volcano on
the jungle planet of Rhodor 5. The
location is a closely guarded secret.

10. A man claiming to be a time

traveller from the 21st century
is found drifting in space. To go
back he needs his time machine,
which is on the forbidden planet
of Trajar.

Twist: He’s not really a time

traveller. He’s a thief, trying to
access Trajar’s secrets.

Amazing Tales ~ 85
Story Sheet
My Hero’s name is

My Hero is good at

Other important things about my hero are

My hero looks like this
Afterword
Amazing Tales was made possible by many people. In particular,
thanks to:

Becky Annison, Bea Camus, Dom Camus, Eoin Dubsky, Josh Fox,
Tomer Gurantz, Justin Halliday, Mo Holkar, Matthijs Holter, Iris
Maertens, Duncan McKean, Joakim Waern.

The Amazing Tales website features examples of stories made up

with Amazing Tales and the latest news about the game. Take a
look at: https://amazingtalesblog.wordpress.com/read-amazing-tales/

Illustration by Iris Maertens / https://www.irisistible.design/

Layout by Duncan Mckean / http://sparkwoodand21.com/

Editing by Mo Holkar / http://www.ukg.co.uk/

© Copyright Martin Lloyd 2017